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Wednesday, June 29, 2011

COFFEE: OH, HOW WE LOVE IT

Coffee is pretty much a staple across many countries and many cultures: and has been for many years. Coffee has a slew of health benefits ranging from strengthening the liver to improving appetite. That said, coffee maintains these wonderful health benefits when taken in its most natural and pure state: black.

Over the decades, we have made it habitual to add milk and a sweetner (of the sort) to our coffee. Some like a lot of milk; some like a lot of sweetner. Some like a little of both. Some prefer one over the other. And the preferences go on and on. And, why not? It is the that energy-filled and potent--yet beautiful--warm beverage that many of us look forward to at any time of the day, during any season of the year.

So what's the issue? As previously mentioned, coffee is best for body's health when it is taken in its pure form: without any additives of the sort. By adding milk and a sweetner, the benefits of coffee reduce significantly. Coffee is such a pure, and delightfully healthy beverage by itself. In this day and age, neither milk nor sweetners are what they "used" to be. Milks, across the board, are coming in contact with a slew of chemicals: cow's milk being at the top of the list. White or brown sugar (sweetner) is not generally good for the body and changes the nutritional make-up of coffee when contact is made, naturally. And many tend to drink coffee with milk and a sweetner a least once or twice a day.

My dear friends, we ask of you: consider taking your coffee black.

For some people, the idea of black coffee is a "no fun" and not even something worth consuming. Those that have been relishing coffee with additives usually have a strong desire to continue drinking it in this way. And nothing wrong with that (so long as it is not empty indulgence).

However, consider this small, yet tiny change. The coffee bean was given to us by Mother Earth as a beautiful gift of purity. Let us try to maintain that by drinking the coffee black: no additives. Maybe for at least once or twice a week.

You will be happy you did so. Not only for the health benefits, but also because it allows you to "connect" to the Earth in a unique way. Foods from the Earth tend to have that amazing affect on an individual when they are consumed in a natural and pure state.

Let us get back to a more natural consumption of coffee. Let us aspire to make some small changes in our lives. Let us open our eyes, receptively, to a new way of appreciation for coffee.